Tuesday, 22 December 2009

A few reminder images of the fun we had on Saturday at Onekawa Park. Our horse and jockey race (or was it fight?) with water bombs plus flour bombs plus water guns, park set up, singing the well practised Kiwi Christmas songs, and the under five year old running race.

Short videos of piggy back races and potato and spoon races to be downloaded soon...

Last week I decided the younger members of KIDSPACE might like to have their lunch on the deck, as it was quite a hot day. They enjoyed it we sang songs and a few of them liked watching the birds fly around they also enjoyed the change in routine for one day. Maybe we will do it again sometime.Tamara

Over Taneeshas time here at KIDSPACE I have noticed she really enjoys sitting on the mat by the fish tank and looking at all the children's profile books. I watch her as she flicks through the pages and takes it all in. Taneesha also has a look at her book and looks at her photos and revisits experiences. Not only does she enjoy looking at the profile books by herself but with her mum to, what a fantastic way to share learning together and talk about what they can see.

Over the last few weeks Paige has shown an increasing interest in the digital camera, she is very competent in using it too, do you use one at home to Paige?????. When she wants the camera she approaches me and says "cheese" then I know exactly what she wants or she will get a stool and get the camera off the bench herself. Paige sits down for a long time moving the dial across then finding something of interest to take a photo of. Check out the photos and see the concentration on her face.

Through this experience Paige is being involved and showing an interest. She is learning to use the camera first hand through experiencing and exploring it for herself working out how it works and problem solving when it won't take the photo. She is also learning how to look after the camera and she makes sure she has the strap around her neck.

Saturday, 19 December 2009

Thursday, 17 December 2009

We are very sorry to announce that Sarah B will be finishing up at KIDSPACE on Christmas Eve. We wish Sarah well in her new ventures and in her early childhood career and hope that she will keep in touch with us. Sarah will be at the Christmas picnic on Saturday for families to say their farewells.

Both Megan and Jude have decides to continue to enjoy their babies at home so will not be returning to their regular jobs but have offered to be on our relievers list so will still be working at KIDSPACE from time to time.

This means that Louise and Sarah F contracts will cease as they have been doing the maternity leave fill in. Louise will be at KIDSPACE till at least the end of January and at this stage Sarah F has decided to stay on in a voluntary capacity.

Staffing at KIDSPACE is our most valuable resource and we are very careful about who we appoint (even turning down a registered teacher who was not right for our centre). We have appointed a wonderful full time registered teacher, Ainslee Donaldson, who will start on 18 January. We have also appointed Ann Hogg who has two more papers to complete in the second year of her Diploma of Teaching with the Open Polytech. Ann will be working Monday to Thursday with Rie picking up the Friday. Jess Sheppard-Lowe has also accepted a position at KIDSPACE. Jess is half way through her Diploma of Teaching with Te Tari Puna o Aotearoa, NZ Childcare Assoc, and will be working Tuesday to Friday with Rochelle Frame, a student on the new EIT Bachelor of Teaching course, working the Monday.

So, we are losing two teachers and gaining four new staff members. Although we are licensed for 40 children including 10 under 2's we currently only have 25 children and a very long waiting list. With this increased staffing we intend to keep our under 2's at 5 and increase the over 2's to 27/28 in the new year. If you have any concerns or queries about staffing at KIDSPACE please feel free to discuss these with me.

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Today we sang to the old folk at Bardowie Retirement Complex and tomorrow some of our neighbours are coming to KIDSPACE for morning tea and a Christmas sing-a-long. Check out the video for a taste of what's to come at our Christmas party this Saturday!

Friday, 11 December 2009

Look at Caelyn's muffins she made yesterday, she worked really hard in the sandpit slaving away in the heat by the looks of it she has made quite a few, do you help mum make muffins at home to Caelyn?Through this experience Caelyn is using her imagination and is involved in solitary play, this can be quite nice some times for children to play individually as well as in a group, means they get to make up the rules.

Look at these Christmas lights on lawns, fences, in hedges, on walls and roofs too! Santas, reindeer, stars, sleighs and Christmas trees. Photos taken from houses in Parklands, Westminster Ave, KIDSPACE and Nelson Cres for our little friends who are asleep in bed when the lights come on. Enjoy a peek. Jessie

Thursday, 10 December 2009

It was getting hotter and it was time to get our new big paddling pool out. I asked a few children if they wanted a swim and of course a lot of children were keen. They quicky rushed around checking they had spare clothes for afterwards. Laker, Elijah, Charlie, Eneri, Tyra, Donnagh, Te Kira and Sarah all jumped, giggled and splashed they had so much fun together. Corbin was in charge of the hose he enjoyed putting the hose water over the other children. He kindly shared a turn with Tyra then after Tyra Ben had a turn. The big children were really good at letting Rionagh come in for a splash they were very careful and respectful. Well children you had a blast and there will be many more fun times in the paddling pool.Tamara

Donnagh,Tyra, Ben,Sarah,Eneri and Taylah worked very hard putting all the decorations onto the tree, we talked about who already had a treeTaylah piped up "I do", shes had hers up for quite a while now your family were on to it weren't they Taylah. I also added that I was going to buy mine the next day. The children used chairs to reach the higher parts of the tree they nominated me to put the angel on the top, I to needed a chair. This experience was great for interacting and having conversations with each other and sharing of stories. Quite a few times the decorations fell off for Donnagh, Tyra and Eneri, I would hear them say "oh", but they persisted and put them back on . It's not exactly an easy skill but it helps the children develop their fine motor skills and pincer grip.Children you did such a great job of decorating the tree, you should all be very proud.

Our new ball pit has been a real hit a lot of children have hopped in and had heaps of fun. Oliver did lots of run ups then a big dive at the end, he thought it was great Noah watched as he did this. Max G, Sophie, Harry and Paige all squeezed in together wriggling all the balls around with their feet and hands. Max G also hopped in by himself and threw the balls around and moved his feet and Marley watches and laughs as he sees the children having fun . This is a fantastic tactile experience for all the children, they experienced swimming around in plastic balls and throwing them all around the inside play room they all showed a real sense of fun and laughter. This experience offered children ways to learn sharing, turn taking (as the ball pit isn't very big),exploration, spacial awareness, building on relationships and joining in with some fun.Tamara

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

Lately there has been a very strong interest in messy play within KIDSPACE . The children are offered a diverse range of experiences and Max H, Rory, Noah, Paige and Rionagh were very eager to take part on what was available one day last week.Noah and Rory enjoyed the wonderful texture of the cornflour goop, scooping large amounts of it with their hands and forming large piles in the trough. Max initially chose to paint using brushes, but then discarded his brush in favour of a real hands on approach, covering them and rubbing them back and forth and around the paper. Rionagh, after trying her hand at painting with brushes, chose to take on a more tactile approach, also using her hands to explore this new medium before covering most of her face in black.It was not long before Paige and Noah noticed what Rionagh was doing,and obviously thinking it was a great idea, did exactly the same.Although a very messy experience, messy play provides great learning opportunities for children. Not only is it loads of fun, but the children are developing the knowledge, that trying things out, exploration, and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning.

Tuesday, 8 December 2009

This morning Te Kira, Noah, Laker, Ben, Max H, Elijah, Corbin and Mollie walked with Jessie and reliever Rochelle (who will be with us two days a week in 2010) for a walk. We posted Christmas invites in our nieghbours letter boxes for our Christmas sing-along and morning tea on Thurs 17th Dec. Ben could recognize numbers in groups of three saying "two, six, seven" for letterbox number two hundred and sixty seven. Laker said "I have seen a post man riding a scooter". When we talked about the circle hole at the top of some letterboxes Te Kira said "it is for circle mail", Max H added "it's for my magazines". After we stopped for a drink of water under a tree in Onekawa Park and where walking back, a neighbour said hello and asked, are you having fun? Noah replied "'ello, 'ello", very kindly to her.These children openly related their stories and expriences about mail and letterboxes to each other. "Children develop awareness of connections between events and experiences within and beyond the early chldhood education setting", Belonging, Te Whaariki.Jessie

Friday, 4 December 2009

Thank you to the children- Marley, Eneri, Netana, Charlie, Kian, Taneesha, Laker, Jasper, Elijah, Isaac, Maia, Sophie, Paige, Max G, Donnagh, Max H, Rionagh, Sarah, Noah, Taylah; the teachers and parents for making Jandal Day 2009 so fun. We made jandal prints, threw jandals facing forwards, backwards and hopping on one foot, had jandal face paint, took turns to try the inflatable gaint jandal on and played who can carry the most jandals too. We have raised $24 (at last count) which is great for a cold overcast Summer day, and will go to support New Zealands Surf Lifeguards.Jessie

This morning Jasper had his first pre-school visit to Nelson Park School. He took brother Oly, mum Kelly and dad Rohan.This is Jasper's story... "I played in the playground and Oly, and daddy tried to play on the playground but he couldn't". "I already ate my sandwiches at the tea time there", "I played with the pirate ship and the little pirate people". When asked if his class rooms had numbers Jasper said "umm there's a number 1 and a number 2 on the windows, I played outside and inside".Jasper demonstrates "enjoyment of and interest in a moderate degree of change" and shows "constructive strategies for coping with change", Belonging , Te Whaariki. Jessie

Thursday, 3 December 2009

WOW check out the bubble fun!! Donnagh, Eneri, Charlie and Corbin were having a great time splashing in the bubbles yesterday. They were soaking wet!!!! The boys were splashing each other and chanting "Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble". It's great to see these boys so involved in their activity, they were working together as a team and enjoying each others company. Looks like great fun boys!Sarah

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